Bio
Marionette draws on lots of the off-shoots of the rock and roll movement – with equal admiration for the great songwriters and the more abstract, noise acts that span across rock, psych, jazz, folk, alt-country, shoegaze, punk, whatever. Facing You is Marionette’s (Richmond, Virginia) debut full length and features strong songwriting and unique male/female harmonies set against soundscapes of reedy accordions, grinding feedback guitars, bow scraping upright bass, hubcaps, half working organs and drum machines, field recordings, horns, and strings.
Before Marionette, Kevin Cornell was a jazz drummer with a love of the Beach Boys and 60’s British psychedelia who also could sing and play any instrument he picked up. Adam Rose (guitar) relocated from NYC where great songwriters and avant garde noise and jazz regularly mixed. Marshall O’Leary (piano), was primarily a jazz tenor player. Kerri Helsley came to the band in 2007, bringing a voice and creativity that were a breath of fresh air. Brian Cruse (bass) joined in 2009 and has brought a looseness and enthusiasm that has added improvisational energy to live shows.
Other comments from the press:
“Marionette crowded the stage, filling it with bodies, keyboards, drums and guitars while movies washed over them as they performed. Kevin Cornell sang buried behind his kit and his voice soared over the room, warm and inviting, as if walking around and greeting people with strong handshakes. He shared vocals with Kerri Helsley, who was graceful and ethereal on “Disappearing Act”, creating a chilling vibe that felt slightly dangerous. Guitarist Adam Rose added tempered guitar riffs, lending a mysterious quality throughout. During “Over The Radio”, Adam Rose began a blistering guitar solo as Bikini Island footage played out in white and brilliant blue. The explosion went off perfectly behind his head as the solo erupted. Throughout the set, Rose layered songs with guttural guitar sounds. His aural textures lent much to what the whole band was constructing during songs and in between them – gentle segues of sound rife with ambiance. It was a set of powerful cohesion – of warm synth, crushing guitar and engaging singing.” – Southeast Performer Magazine Live Review (Southeast, December 2009)
“With ‘Facing You’, Marionette renews its emphasis on songwriting, finding its own voice within the history of rock music.” – Style Weekly (Richmond, VA, October 2009)“Facing You is full of the dark, melodic goodness RVA has come to expect from Marionette” — Richmond.com (Richmond, VA, December 2009)
“At first, their sweet indie-pop seems dark and contemplative, but, as their moniker suggests, Marionette will also help lift you up with their warm, sunny melodies and offer some brutally honest advice on how to find your way.” – RVA Magazine (Richmond, VA)
“It took only one listen to be sucked in by their layers of sound… Marionette is the kind of band you know will be discovered by a larger audience, so get out and see them now.” – Times Dispatch (Richmond, VA)
“Marionette make music that crosses all boundaries of enlightenment and sound…At every concert, they roll the short films behind them, creating stories and narratives…a visual and audio experience that most other bands don’t offer…(Kevin) Cornell’s voice sounds much like Chris Martin’s and there is the haunting beauty of (Kerri) Helsley’s soprano voice. Together, each works as an echo of the other.” – Encore Magazine (Wilmington, NC)
